Time-controlled electric device



C. F. LEHMAN.

TIME CONTROLLED ELECTRIC DEV ICE.

APPLcAToN FILED NOV.1. 1920.

1 ,397,692. Patented Nv. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CEARLES F. LEHMAN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTAQ i 'I'IME-CONTROLLEDELECTRIC DEVICE.

Speciflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Application filed November 1, 1920. Serial No. 420,904.

and exact description of the invention, such v as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 4

This invention relates to a time controlled electric device, andparticularly to a device Whereby various electrical devices, such aslights, electric heaters, etc., may be actuated at various desired timesand for various intervals.

It is an object of the invention to' produce a device which will becontrolled by an ordinary alarm clock which can be set to determine thetime and interval through which it is desired to operate the electricdevice.

This and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear asthe descrption proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings inwhich like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout thedifferent views, and in which- F igure 1 is a partial elevation andpartial ectional view of the device as commercially constructed;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan View of the device and involvedcircuits;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic detailof some of the electric connections;

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views illustrating the electricalcontacts of certain parts; and

Fig. 6 is a view in vertical elevation showing other contacts used inthe device.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly Fig. 1, the device of theinvention is seen to comprise a box or casing a and an alarm or.othersuitable clock b, a' transformer &located in the box a an electromagnetd and a'ratchet spool e operated by the electro-magnet d both of whichmechanisms are also located in the box a. An electrical socket f isshown to which may be attached any suitable, or desirable electricdevice which it is desired to operate, such as a lamp q shown.

In Fig. 2 is illustrated an ordinary clockwork mechanism designated as1, which has the wheels 2 and 3 suitably driven thereby 'by a spring,

i the wheels will continue until the and which represent the alarmwheels usually supplied with an alarm clock. The

common type of alarm clock has but one alarm settng device and one alarmwheel, and whle applcant s device may be operated by one such wheel, itis preferably constructed with an additional or a total of two alarmwheels. The wheels 2 and 3 make one revolution n twelve hours and areequpped with contact members 4 and 5, respectively. Each of the wheels 2'and 3 is equpped with a cylindrical cam member 5 and coperating camfollower or dog 6. As the wheels revolve, the member 6 rides on the edgeof the cam 5 until the time arrives at which the device is set to beoperated, when it drops into a notch formed in said cam. This a commonand well known Construction n alarm clocks'. As shown n Fig. 6, a'

spring 7 presses on the wheel 3 and when the dog 6 drops into -itsnotch, this spring proects the wheel slightly outward on its axle andthe upper end of the spring contacts the arm 5. The wheel 2 is alsourged outwardly and when its dog drops into the slot n the cam, saidwheel is pushed out directly against the arm 4: and makes elec-- trical.contact therewith. The contacts of dogs again rde out of the cam Slots.

The making of the above described contacts is' arranged tooperate theelectrical portions of the device. The said Contacts are electricallyconnected by suitably placed wires with certain of the contact memberson spool e. The spool e forms a rotating switch and has a central shaft8 rigidly secured thereto which is mounted for rotation in suitablyspaced brackets in the box a. The spool is provided with a pawl andratchet mechanism designated as 9 which is operated to intermittentlyrevolve the spool by the oscillation of the lever 10. This lever 10 issuitably connected to the armature 11 of the electro-magnet d so that itwill be oscillated each time the said magnet is operated and will turnthe spool e one step. The spool e has an enlarged notched wheel 12 atone end, and the notches are arranged on the periphery thereof andformed as ratchet teeth and successively engage the contact member 13 asthe spool revolves. As shown in F igs. 2 and 4:, each alternate tooth ofthe wheel 12 is equpped with an electrical conductor which is inelectrical Communication With a g l 14,;

on the spool with which the contact finger 15 constantly engages. Thecontact fingers 13 and 15 are connected in the circuit which operatesthe lamps g, or other electrical device, the operation of which it is'desired to control; This circuit is shown in Fig. 2 as including abattery 16 which may be used in various desired places, `but Wherecommercial current is available, the same will ordinarily be used tocontrol the lights or other electrical devices in a building where theinvention is used.

At the other end of spool e is a similar ratchet shapedwheel 17 theteeth of which are equipped with electrical conductors, as shown in Fig.5 and each alternate one of said conductors will be connected to acontact ring 18 on the spool, while the conductors on the intermediateteeth will be connected to the ring 19. Contact fingers 20 and 21 aredisposed to respectively engage the rings 18 and 19, and another contactfinger 22 successively engages the conducting members on the teeth ofwheel 17. The contact fingers 20 and 21 are electrically connected, asshown in Fig. 2, to the contact arms 4 and 5, respectively, whichconnection, as stated, will be made by suitably disposed conductor::.

In order that the heavy voltage which will be sometimes used to operatethe lights and other electrical apparatus will not have to be connectedto the clock mechanism, a transformer c is provided and a primary coil23 of the same is connected in circuit with a suitable battery 24. Oneside of this battery will be connected to the framework of the clock andwill thus communicate with wheels 2 and 3. The other side of the batteryis connected to one terminal of the primary coil 23, the other'end ofwhich is, in turn, connected to contact finger 22. The ends of the coilsof the electromagnet d are connected to the ends of the secondary coilof the transformer c.

In the commercial embodiment of the de vice, the conductors connected toarms 4 and 5 are arranged to pass through or around the legs 25 of theclock and thence into the box a. The battery conductor can also bearranged to pass through or around the leg 26. The battery 24 may or maynot be installed in the box a.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming the lights g are not lighted, the finger 13 will be inengagement with one of the non-conducting teeth on wheel 12 and the arms4 and 5 will be out of contact with wheels 2 and 3. The clock is now setso that one alarm wheel will operate at the time at which it is desiredto light the lamp and the other alarm wheel will be set for the time atwhich it is desired to extinguish the lamps. When the first wheelarrives at the set time, contact will be made with arm 5.

This will close the contact through the battery circuit, including theprimary part of the' transformer, contact ngers 20 and 22 and ring 18.The current will be induced in the secondary of the transformer and theelectromagnet will be given one actuation. This will move the wheels 12and 17 one notch. The contact finger 13 will be moved to a` conductingtooth on wheel 12 and the circuit will be closed through the lamps andlight the same. The' lamps will now remain lighted until thewheel 2reaches the set point when contact will be made with the finger 4. Itwill be noted that when the wheel 17 was moved one notch, the batterylead connected to finger 22, was transferred from ring 19 to ring 18,since alternate teeth of wheel 17 are respectvely connected to rings 18and 19. The battery circuit was thus opened and will be closed againwhen contact is made with finger 4. This will result in anotheractuation of the electromagnet through the transformer and the spool ewill be moved another notch. Contact finger 13 will now move to anonconducting tooth, the circuit through the lights will be broken andthe same will be extinguished. The wheel 17 will again switch the battery current to ring 19 and the battery circuit will be opened.

The transformer is used so that an effective and powerful action by theelectromagnet will be obtained without the use of a correspondinglyheavy battery circuit. The positive operation of the ratchet device willbe assured by the strong electromagnet. If desired, suitablenon-sparking metal may be used for the various Contacts, or a condensermay be interposed in the circuits to quench any sparking tendency.

From the above' description it would seem that applicanfis device has awide range of utility and provides a simple and inexpensive meanswhereby various lighting systems, either in dwellings, store windows, orelectric signs, may be lighted atany desired time and for any desiredperiod. The device may also be set to operate an electric heater at anearly hour in the morning so that a room may be heated before theoccupants thereof arise. Various other forms of electrical apparatus canalso be Conveniently operated by means of applicanfis invention.

It will be understood that various changes in the arrangement anddetails of the de- Vice may be made without departing from the scope ofapplicans invention, which, generally stated, consists in the mattershown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described having in combination a pair oftime-controlled contacts, a second pair of time-controlled contacts, aswitch member, an electro-magnetic `movin said switch member propelledby means for Operating said switch member, an electrical circuitconnected to said pairs of contacts and said switch and connected tosaid electro-magnetc means through a trans- `former, a second electricalcircuit for conagain actuated to open the last mentioned\ circuit whenthe second 'pair of time-controlled contacts are closed.

2. A device of theclass described comprising clock-work mechanism, aplurality of sets of contacts operated thereby, an inter- 'mittentlyoperated switch member, an electro-magnet, mechanism for intermittentlysaid e ectro-magn et, an electrical 'circuit including the sets ofcontacts, the electro-magnet and the switch member, a second circuitadapted to be closed and opened by said switch member, said switchmember being 'constructed and arranged so that when oneset of contactsis closed the second circuit will be closed through the switch 'memberand the switch memberso set that when anotherpair of contacts is closedthe second circuit will be opened through said switch member.

3. A device of the class described havin in combination a pair oftime-controlled contacts, a second pair of timed-controlled contacts, aswitch member comprising a disk having thereon a series of contacts andinsulated portions', step by step Operating means for said switch memberadapted to operate said switch one step each time either of said pairsof contacts are closed,` an electric circuit connected to said contacts,said operating means and said switch member, a second electrical circuitconnected 'to said switch member and arranged to be opened and closed byalternate Operations of said switch, said circuit being adapted tocontrol an electrical apparatus included therein, said switch memberbeing constructed and arranged to .be actuated one step to bring acontact'into operative position when the first pair of contacts areclosed to close said second circuit and to be so set that it will be.again actuated one step when the second pair of contacts are closedtobring an insulated portion into position toopen said second circuit. u

4. A device of the class described having in combination, two sets oftime controlled contacts, an intermittently operated switch, mechanismfor Operating said switch, an electrical circuit including saidcontacts, a transformer and an electromagnet operated thereby, saidOperating mechanism being actuated by the electromagnet, said circuitand switch member constructed and arranged so that when one set ofcontacts is closed the switch will be actuated and moved to a positionso that it will be again actuated when the other set of contacts isclosed.

5. A device of the class described comprising two sets of timecontrolled contacts, a movable switch comprising a cylindrical memberand a ratchet toothed wheel at one end thereof, a pair of contact ringson said cylinder, the teeth of the ratchet wheel carrying conductors andalternate teeth being connected respectively to each of said contactrings, an electrical circuit having connection with said setsofcontacts, the ratchet wheel, the contact rings, and mechanism forOperating said switch constructed and arranged so that when one set ofcontacts is closed the circuit will be closed through the ratchet wheeland one ring to actuate the switch and open the circuit and also set theswitch so that when the second pair of contacts is closed the circuitwill be closed through the ratchet wheel and the other ring. and theswitch will be again actuated, the circuit opened and the switch set vso that it may be again operated as before.

g rings on said cylinder, all of the teeth of one ratchet wheel havingconductors thereon which are alternately connected," respectively, witheach of said contact rings, a third contact ring on said cylinder, eachalternate tooth of the other ratchet wheel carrying a conductor which isconnected to the third ring, the other teeth of said wheel beinginsulated, an electrical circuit including contact fingers tosuccessively engage the teeth of the last mentioned ratchet wheel andalso a contact to engage the third contact ring, another electricalcircuit including a contact finger adapted to successively engage theteeth of the first' mentioned ratchet wheel and having contact fingersengaging the first mentioned rings, mechanism or intermittently rotatingsaid switch so that the first mentioned circuit is successively closedand opened and the last mentioned circuit is successively closed throughthe teeth of the 'ratchet wheel and one of the pair of contact rings andthen through the teeth of the ratchet wheel and the other of the pair ofcontact rings.

7. A device of the class described havn in combination two sets of timecontrolled contacts, an intermittently operated switch member connectedto one' of each set of contacts, mechanism for Operating said switchmember, an electromagnet for actuating said mechanism, a transformer tothe secondary of which the elect'omagnet is connected, the primzry ofthe transforne' be ing connected to the switch member, and the other ofezch set of contacts, :n electriczl circuit :r'znged to be snccessivelyclosed and opened by said switch member, said switch member beingconstructed and arranged so that when one set of Contacts is closed thecircuit Will bc closed and the electromzgnet will be operztcd throughthe transformer to move the switch to open said electriczl ci'cnit andset the switch so that when the second set of contucts is closed thecircnit will again be closed and switch actuuted by the electromagnet toopen said circnit and be set in a position similar to its originalposition. v

8. A device of the class described comprising a cylindrical switch'having spaced toothed Whcels thereonyone having contacts on euch toothand the other having contacts on ilternzteteeth, contact members engaginsaid wheels, pair of contact rings on szd switch connected,respectively, to alternute contncts on the first mentioned wheel,

and a contact ring connected to the contacts on the other wheel.

9. The structure Set forth in claim 8, con- CHARLES F. LEHMAN.

